Cessna Safety Record

AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH ALLOWED WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE APPROACH. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DARK NIGHT.

COLLISION WITH TERRAIN WHEN THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO FOG WHILE CONDUCTING A VISUAL APPROACH. FACTORS WERE: INACCURATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW ESTABLISHED VORTEX AVOIDANCE PROCEDURES, AS PUBLISHED IN THE AIRMAN'S INFORMATION MANUAL, TO PROVIDE HIS OWN WAKE TURBULENCE SEPARATION.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO A MOUNTAINOUS AREA WHERE HE LOST VISUAL REFERENCE TO ILLUMINATED GROUND FEATURES WHICH RESULTED IN HIS BECOMING DISORIENTED. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE DARK SKY AND LOW CLOUD CONDITIONS; 2) THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A COMPLETE WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO TAKE OFF; 3) HIS IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION; 4) HIS INEXPERIENCE FLYING AT NIGHT; AND 5) THE USAF'S CLEARING AUTHORITY PERSONNEL'S FAILURE TO ADHERE TO ESTABLISHED WRITTEN PROCEDURES WHICH BARRED INEXPERIENCED PILOTS FROM BEING DISPATCHED WITH THE INTENT OF PERFORMING NIGHTTIME CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHTS.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB DURING A MISSED APPROACH. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INOPERATIVE GYRO INSTRUMENTS DUE TO A BROKEN VACUUM PUMP, THE DARK NIGHT, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND RISING TERRAIN.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE SACRAMENTO CONTROLLER TO ADVISE THE STOCKTON CONTROLLER OF THE IMPENDING UNSAFE SITUATION, AND THE FAILURE OF THE STOCKTON CONTROLLER TO ISSUE A TRAFFIC ADVISORY AND A SAFETY ALERT TO THE PILOT OF THE C-180, N3313D.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION BY DESCENDING INTO HIGH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE PREVAILING CLOUD CONDITION.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CRUISE AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE TO ENSURE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, THE DARK NIGHT, AND LIKELY INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT FAILED TO EVALUATE THE WIND CONDITIONS AND TOOK OFF WITH A TAILWIND WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLISION WITH A TREE ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. FACTORS WERE DARK NIGHT AND TAILWIND.

THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AS A RESULT OF HIS ALCOHOLIC AND DRUG IMPAIRMENT OF EFFICIENCY AND JUDGEMENT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN WEATHER INFORMATION, THE DARK NIGHT AND EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF A VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS INCLUDE BECOMING LOST, DISORIENTED, FALLING SNOW, AND MOUNTAINOUS, HILLY TERRAIN.

THE EXHAUST VALVE FAILING DUE TO A COMPLETE FRACTURE WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOTAL LOSE OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE TERRAIN NOT BEING SUITABLE FOR A FORCED LANDING, AND 2) LOW AMBIENT LIGHT WHICH HAMPERED THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO SEE THE TERRAIN.

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND THE PILOT ALLOWING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BE EXCEEDED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, DARKNESS, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDIITON.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO AVOID OBSTRUCTIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF EFFICIENCY AND JUDGEMENT DUE TO ALCOHOL, AND THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) FROM MOUNTAINOUS HILLY TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE DARKNESS, LOW CLOUDS, AND LIGHT SNOW.